Like I said in my last post, we were traveling and then had the double whammy of Ravi and Rhi’s birthdays, so I needed a break from blogging.

Our vacation was to celebrate my fortieth birthday a few weeks early (I’m not forty until the 24th). New Orleans is one of my favorite cities, and I was so happy to have a chance to go back. I’ve been looking forward to visiting New Orleans with the girls for a long time.

If you go to New Orleans, there is something you must do whether you’re there for business or pleasure, adults only or with kids in tow–Cafe Du Monde. Open 24/7 except for Christmas Eve and Christmas, they pump out beignets and chickory coffee at an astounding rate.

What is a beignet? It’s a fried donut covered in powered sugar. Like, drenched in powdered sugar.

Which of course means your face and clothes get covered in the powdered sugar. But that’s just part of the experience. Maybe avoid dark colored clothing though? It was no big deal, though.

In fact, follow our example and go multiple times. We got in after midnight, so it wasn’t until the next day that we made it to Cafe Du Monde, but it was among our first stops. We then popped back in twice more, including just before we left for our flight back to California.

The menu may be as simple as beignets and drinks (non-alcoholic), but it’s a formula that works.

If you make it to Cafe Du Monde, be sure to go over to where the line for takeout is. If you walk just past the line down the building, there is a window. If you watch, you’ll see the machines that roll out the dough and cut the dough. Then the employees just throw them into the boiling oil behind them. It’s hypnotizing to watch.